JP3041161B2 - Rotary valve - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rotary valve used for continuously supplying and discharging a powdery raw material to and from a high-pressure container.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A rotary valve of this type has a rotor rotatably housed in a valve housing having an inlet and an outlet. A plurality of pockets are provided on an outer peripheral surface of the rotor at intervals in a circumferential direction. These pockets are provided so that they can be sequentially connected to the inlet and the outlet as the rotor rotates. A plurality of pressure equalizing tubes are arranged outside the valve housing. During rotation of the rotor, these pressure equalizing tubes sequentially connect a pocket from the inlet to the outlet and a pocket from the outlet to the inlet. I have.

When the inlet of the housing is opened to the atmosphere and the outlet is connected to a high-pressure vessel, when each pocket is connected to the inlet with the rotation of the rotor, the material on the atmosphere is introduced into the inlet. And the material in each pocket is transported under pressure to the outlet. During this transfer, the pocket that received the raw material,
In other words, the pockets going from the inlet to the outlet sequentially communicate with the pockets going from the outlet to the inlet through the pressure equalizing tube, and the pressure in both pockets becomes uniform each time they communicate with each other. That is, when the raw material is received from the inlet, the internal pressure of the pocket is equal to the atmospheric pressure. Thereafter, in the transfer process, the internal pressure of the pocket is increased stepwise each time the pressure equalizing action is applied, and the internal pressure of the pocket is increased to the outlet. It is connected, and at this point of time, the pressure of the high-pressure vessel matches, and the raw material in the pocket is introduced into the high-pressure vessel through the outlet. On the other hand, the pocket from the outlet to the inlet is connected to the inlet by gradually reducing the pressure every time the internal pressure is subjected to the equalizing action. At this connection point, the raw material can be received from the inlet as described above.

[0004]

By the way, in the above-mentioned rotary valve, the outlet is connected to the high-pressure vessel, and the inlet is open to the atmosphere.
A pressure difference equal to the high pressure in the high-pressure vessel occurs between the inlet and the outlet, and this pressure difference exerts a large load on the rotor shaft of the rotor and the bearing of the rotor shaft.

[0005] Therefore, this type of rotary valve is inevitably large in size in order to give sufficient strength to its rotor shaft and bearing against the load caused by the pressure difference. The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and has as its object to reduce the load on a rotor shaft and its bearings with a simple structure, and as a result, to reduce the size of a rotary shaft. It is to provide a valve.

[0006]

A rotary valve according to the present invention includes a plurality of rotor casings each having an inlet and an outlet. The outlet of one rotor casing and the inlet of another rotor casing are connected to each other. Thus, a valve housing composed of a series of rotor casings is configured. A rotor is rotatably accommodated in each of the rotor casings, and the outer peripheral surface of each rotor can be sequentially connected to an inlet and an outlet of the corresponding rotor casing with the rotation of the rotor. A plurality of pockets partitioned from each other while maintaining airtightness are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction of the rotor. Each rotor casing is provided with a plurality of first pressure equalizing tubes for sequentially communicating a pocket from the inlet to the outlet with a pocket from the outlet to the inlet during rotation of the rotor. Is provided with a second pressure equalizing pipe for mutually communicating a pocket immediately before being connected to an outlet on one rotor casing side and a pocket just before being connected to an inlet on the other rotor casing side.

[0007]

According to the rotary valve described above, in the series of rotor casings, the opened inlet and outlet are the inlet and outlet of the valve housing itself.
Therefore, the raw material input from the inlet of the valve housing is received in the rotor pocket in the rotor casing, and, along with the rotation of the rotor, passes through the outlet of the rotor casing, that is, passes through the rotor casing to the next. It is thrown into the entrance of the rotor casing of the stage. Thereafter, the raw material sequentially passes through the rotor casing in the same manner, and is discharged from the outlet of the final-stage rotor casing, that is, the outlet of the valve housing.

Here, when the inlet of the valve housing is open to the atmosphere and the outlet is connected to a high-pressure vessel, a pocket from the inlet to the outlet is formed in each rotor casing as the rotor rotates. Is gradually increased by the first pressure equalizing pipe, and conversely, the internal pressure of the pocket from the outlet to the inlet is reduced.

Also, between adjacent rotor casings, a pocket immediately before being connected to the outlet in the preceding rotor casing is different from a pocket immediately before being connected to the inlet in the subsequent rotor casing. , Second
Due to the communication through the pressure equalizing tube, the internal pressures of these pockets are the same, so that the outlet of the upstream rotor casing and the inlet of the downstream rotor casing, which are connected to each other, have the same internal pressure.

[0010]

FIG. 1 schematically shows a rotary valve according to an embodiment of the present invention. The rotary valve includes a valve housing 2, and the valve housing 2 includes a pair of rotor casings 3a, 3a.
b. Each rotor casing 3 has an inlet 4 and an outlet 6 located vertically, and the outlet 6 of the upper rotor casing 3a and the inlet 4 of the lower rotor casing 3b are interconnected as is clear from the figure. ing.
In this embodiment, the inlet of the upper rotor casing 3a, that is, the inlet 4 of the valve housing 2, is open to the atmosphere, while the outlet of the lower rotor casing 3b, that is, the outlet 6 of the valve housing 2, is connected to a high-pressure vessel (not shown). )
It is connected to the.

A rotor 8 is rotatably accommodated in each of the rotor casings 3, and the rotor shafts of these rotors 8 are not shown, but both ends of the rotor 8 are rotatably connected to the valve housing 2 via bearings. And one end thereof is connected to a drive system. Therefore, each rotor 8 can rotate in one direction at a constant speed.
In this embodiment, each rotor 8 is rotated at the same speed in the same direction as indicated by the arrow in the figure.

A number of pockets 2 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of each rotor 8.
2 are formed, and these pockets 22 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the rotor 8. Within each rotor casing 3, each individual pocket 22 is
4 keeps the airtight. That is, the seal 24 surrounds each pocket 22 and is in sliding contact with a liner 26 attached to the inner peripheral surface of the rotor casing 3 while maintaining airtightness.

As is apparent from the drawing, each rotor 8 has a total of twelve pockets 22, and therefore, each pocket 22 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the rotor 8 by 30.
It is positioned at intervals of ゜. Each rotor casing 3 has an inlet 4 as viewed in the direction of rotation of its rotor 8.
From the outlet 6 to the outlet 6, two communication ports 30, 32 and one pressure regulating port 34 are sequentially formed. Also, between the outlet 6 and the inlet 4, two communication ports 36 are provided. ,
38 and one pressure regulating port 40 are sequentially formed. One end of each of these ports penetrates through the liner 26 and opens in the rotor casing 3. The open end is provided with a screen (not shown) having a mesh structure. The mesh of this screen is set sufficiently smaller than the powdery raw material to be processed.

As shown in the figure, regarding the communication ports 30, 32 and the pressure regulating port 34 located on the right half side of the upper rotor casing 3a, the distance between the openings of these ports is equal to the distance between the seals 24 in the figure. Is set, and
Port 3 located on the left half side of rotor casing 3a
The gaps between 6, 38, and 40 are also set to the same interval. Therefore, the ports are arranged at intervals of 30 ° in the circumferential direction of the rotor 8, and during the rotation of the rotor 8, each pocket 22 is not simultaneously connected to the adjacent port.

The ports 30, 33, 34 on the right half side of the rotor casing 3a and the ports 40, 38, 36 on the left half side of the rotor casing 3a are connected to a vertical plane connecting the inlet 4 and the outlet 6. Although they are arranged symmetrically, they are arranged asymmetrically with respect to a horizontal plane including the axis of the rotor 8. That is, as is clear from the figure, the communication ports 32 and 38 are positioned so as to be deviated from the horizontal plane toward the inlet 4 by a predetermined angle α (for example, 5 °). Accordingly, the communication ports 30 and 32 and the pressure adjustment port 34 on the right half side of the rotor casing 3a
4, the communication ports 36, 38 and the pressure adjustment port 40 on the left half of the rotor casing 3 a are connected to the corresponding pockets 22. This means that the rotation angle of the rotor 8 at which each of the ports 30, 32, 34 on the right half side of the rotor casing 3a is connected to the pocket 22, and the ports 36, 40,, on the left half side of the rotor casing 3a.
The rotation angles of the rotors 8 that are connected to the pockets 22 and the pockets 22 do not match, which means that there is a phase shift between these rotation angles.

In the rotor casing 3a, the communication port 30 and the communication port 38 are interconnected by a pressure equalizing pipe 42, as shown by a one-dot chain line in FIG. The communication port 36 is mutually connected by a pressure equalizing pipe 44. The pressure adjustment port 40 located on the inlet 4 side is connected to the inlet 4 if necessary.
Recovery tank with the same pressure as that of the tank (not shown)
Through a connection pipe 46.

It is preferable that the recovery tank is connected to the high-pressure vessel via a booster. on the other hand,
Similarly to the case of the rotor casing 3a described above, the lower rotor casing 3b also has the communication ports 30, 32,
36 and 38, and pressure regulating ports 34 and 40. Similarly, in the rotor casing 3b, as shown by a dashed line in the figure, a space between the communication port 30 and the communication port 38 is provided. The communication ports 32 and 36 are connected to each other by a pressure equalizing pipe 42, and the communication ports 32 and 36 are connected to each other by a pressure equalizing pipe 44.

The upper and lower rotor casings 3a, 3
b, the pressure adjustment port 34 of the upper rotor casing 3a and the pressure adjustment port 40 of the lower rotor casing 3b.
Are connected to each other via a pressure equalizing tube 48,
The pressure regulation port 34 of the lower rotor casing 3b is connected to a high-pressure vessel via a connection pipe 50. According to the rotary valve described above, the lower rotor casing 3
The outlet 6 of b is always supplied with the same pressure as the pressure in the high-pressure vessel, while the inlet 4 of the upper rotor casing 3a is always supplied with atmospheric pressure.

In this state, each rotor casing 3
When the inner rotor 8 is rotated clockwise as viewed in FIG. 1, focusing on the lower rotor casing 3b side,
The pockets 22 that have passed through the inlet 4 of the rotor casing 3b communicate with the pockets 22 that have passed through the outlet 6 of the rotor casing 3b sequentially via pressure equalizing pipes 42 and 44. Will receive it. Accordingly, in the rotor casing 3b, the pressure in the pocket 22 from the inlet 4 to the outlet 6 is gradually increased, and after being connected to the connection pipe 50, is increased to the pressure in the high-pressure container. , Outlet 6.

In the rotor casing 3b, with respect to the pocket 22 extending from the outlet 6 to the inlet 4,
Conversely, each time the internal pressure is subjected to the equalizing action, the internal pressure is reduced stepwise. And when it reaches the connecting pipe 48,
The pocket 22 is connected to the pocket 22 on the upper rotor casing 3a side via a pressure equalizing pipe 48, whereby the pockets 22 of the rotor casings 3a and 3b are connected.
Even in the middle, an equalizing action is provided. Therefore, the internal pressure of the pocket 22 when connected to the outlet 6 on the upper rotor casing 3a side and the internal pressure of the pocket 22 when connected to the inlet 4 on the lower rotor casing 3b side are always constant. The same pressure results. This means that the inlet 4 of the lower rotor casing 3b, that is, the outlet 6 of the upper rotor casing 3a is supplied with the pressure in the high-pressure vessel which is finally reduced on the rotor casing 3b side. ing.

Therefore, also on the upper rotor casing 3a side, the pockets 22 going from the inlet 4 to the outlet 6 with the rotation of the rotor 8 are connected to the pockets 22 going from the outlet 6 to the inlet 4 through the equalizing pipes 42, 44. Because of the communication, the internal pressure is increased stepwise by the equalizing action each time the communication is performed. Conversely, the internal pressure of the pocket 22 from the outlet 6 toward the inlet 4 is further increased stepwise. The pressure is reduced. When the pocket 22 is connected to the connection pipe 46 on the rotor casing 3a side, the pocket 2
The internal pressure of 2 becomes atmospheric pressure, after which it is connected to its inlet 4.

As a result, since the internal pressure of the pockets 22 sequentially connected to the inlet 4 of the upper rotor casing 3a has already become the atmospheric pressure, the raw material put into the inlet 4 is reliably received by the pockets 22, and As the rotor 8 rotates, it is transferred toward the lower rotor casing 3b. In addition, the pocket 22 is attached to the rotor casing 3a.
Immediately before reaching the outlet 6, the internal pressure is equal to the pressure of the outlet 6, that is, the inlet 4 of the lower rotor casing 3 b by the action of the equalizing pipe 48.
When the pocket 22 is connected to the inlet 4 of the rotor casing 3b through the outlet 6 of the rotor casing 3a, the raw material in the pocket 22 is smoothly supplied to the inlet 4 of the rotor casing 3b.

On the side of the rotor casing 3b, the raw material received from the inlet 4 into the pocket 22 is similarly transferred to the outlet 6 with the rotation of the rotor 22, and thereafter the raw material is received. Immediately before the pocket 22 reaches the outlet 6, the pocket 22 is connected to the high-pressure vessel through the connection pipe 50, and the internal pressure is increased to the pressure of the high-pressure vessel. Then, the raw material is smoothly supplied from the pocket 22 into the high-pressure container.

According to the above-described rotary valve, since the rotor casings 3 have the same configuration, the pressure difference between the inlet 4 and the outlet 6 of each rotor casing 3 is equal to the pressure in the high-pressure vessel. Is reduced to half.
Therefore, in each rotor casing 3, the load applied to the rotor shaft of the rotor 8 and the bearing thereof is reduced by half. As a result, the mechanical strength required for the individual rotors and bearings can be reduced, so that the individual rotor casings 3 can be downsized. As a result, the overall rotary valve can be reduced in size and weight. .

In this embodiment, in each rotor casing 3, the communication ports 30, 32 and the pressure adjustment port 34 on the pressure increasing side and the communication ports 36, 38 and the pressure adjustment port 40 on the pressure reduction side are connected to the pocket 22. In the connection relationship of
As described above, since there is a phase shift in the rotation angle of the rotor 8, each pocket 2
2 is subjected to two equalizing operations per equalizing tube, and as a result, the pressure in the pocket 22 is gradually increased and decreased without increasing the number of equalizing tubes. Can be.

In the above-described embodiment, the rotary valve has a two-stage structure, but may have a structure in which three or more rotor casings are connected. If the inlet is connected to a high-pressure vessel and the outlet is opened to the atmosphere, it can be used for discharging raw materials from the high-pressure vessel. In this case, the rotary valve in FIG. Good.

[0027]

As described above, according to the rotary valve of the present invention, each of the rotor casings connected to each other includes the rotor and the plurality of first pressure equalizing tubes. Since the function of the valve is exhibited, the pressure difference between the inlet and the outlet of each rotor casing can be reduced, so that the load on the rotor and the bearings can be reduced. The raw material can be smoothly transferred between the rotor casings with a simple structure in which only the pressure tube is provided. As a result, individual rotor casings can be easily downsized,
Excellent effects such as reduction in size and weight of the entire rotary valve can be achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a rotary valve according to one embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Valve housing 3a, 3b Rotor casing 4 Inlet 6 Outlet 8 Rotor 22 Pocket 24 Seal 30, 32, 36, 38 Pressure regulating port 34, 40 Pressure regulating port 42, 44 Equalizing pipe (first equalizing pipe) 46, 50 Connecting pipe 48 Equalizing tube (second equalizing tube)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Takashi Ogawa Inventor, 1-31 Kurobeoka, Hiratsuka-shi, Kanagawa Japan Tobacco Inc. Production Technology Development Center (72) Inventor Kensuke Uchiyama 1966 Minami Tomobe, Tomobe-cho, Nishiibaraki-gun, Ibaraki Prefecture (6) Inventor Haruhige Ibe 12 Nishikicho, Naka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Yokohama Works (72) Inventor Yoshiharu Arai 12 Nishikicho, Naka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Address Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Yokohama Works (72) Inventor Taketoshi Shiraishi 12, Nishiki-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Yokohama Works (72) Inventor Yoshinori Goto 12, Nishiki-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.Yokohama Works

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A valve housing comprising a series of rotor casings, comprising a plurality of rotor casings each having an inlet and an outlet, and interconnecting an outlet of one rotor casing and an inlet of another rotor casing. A rotor is rotatably accommodated in each of the rotor casings, and the outer peripheral surface of each rotor can be sequentially connected to each of an inlet and an outlet of the corresponding rotor casing in accordance with the rotation of the rotor, and is airtight to each other. A plurality of pockets held and partitioned are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction of the rotor, and for each rotor casing, a pocket from the inlet to the outlet is sequentially communicated with a pocket from the outlet to the inlet during rotation of the rotor. A plurality of first pressure equalizing pipes are provided. On the other hand, between adjacent rotor casings, an outlet on one rotor casing side is provided. A rotary valve provided with a second pressure equalizing pipe for mutually communicating a pocket immediately before connection with a pocket immediately before connection to an inlet on the other rotor casing side.